The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-21
A Gambling House Episode.

.4ttN toAh iNiO nhith = ohesft es~'
or forget rs long as ! live. Among the
regular customers Of tho game there
was young man who held position
in his fathers Office, prominent down
town merchant. Although he was Meth
er cool nor lucky player, and rare
~ left the table a winner, he still con
tinued to frequent the glming-table foi
no other purpose than to appease NJ
Unsuitable appetite. Thus the young
player naturally lost considerable mon
ey, and his father having discovered
his haunts, sent word to the proprie'
tors of the game, forbidding them to adj
init his son in the future. But the
parties thus cautioned failed to pay any
attention to this notice, and the young
man continued coming.
One afternoon, about > o'clock, while
he was sitting at the table playing, the
bell rang and the negro servant ad-
mitted tall, notwithstanding gentle
man, whose hair was as white as snow
He stepped up to the table, placed his
RICH hand upon theyoung mans should
er, and. addressing himself to the deal
Ut, Stl'i
"This young man is my SON. ! have
cautioned you not TO admit HIM, but you
have not needed my warming. j now
give you notice that il you let him
play here after this you do so at youi
peril"
The dealer looked at the speaker with
an insolent contemptuous expression,
and said, sneeringly:
81 don't care whether you are the faith
err of any of my players or not That
young man looks as If he were 81, and
guess he is able to attend to his own
business.
Then, turning to the negro, he said:
"John show this gentleman to the
door" And again he looked at the
new conner in derisye and sneerinl
way.
But he had made his reckoning with
out his host. The old gentleman drew
himselfup to his full height and while his
eyes flashed fire, he said, in aloud, clean
voice:
"Ah, Mr.. Dealer, You know very well
that what / have been saying is nc
laughing matter, and, though only one
man has blown out his brains in your
room and spoiled your handsome car
pet with his blood, you have not the less
cruelty assassinated dozen more with
your devilish game, even though you
may have done so indirectly How
many more of your victims have become
suicides in consequence of your hellish
operations? | dare say you do not care
to know. You are very Jolly fellow,
i have no doubt, and you drive fast
horses in the park. Your plate is mag
nifcent, and / am told tho dinners
which you set forth to the patrons OF
your house every afternoon of the week
are good; but il you could have the
power of the clairvoyant bestowed up
on You l reckon you would never laugh
or race or drink more. Everywhere
around you you would see accusing
ghosts pointing at You ghosts that
would not only arraign you for their
murder but for the infinite legacy of
evils they bequeathed to the living at
their death through your cause. Moth
ers, wives, and sisters starv-
ing; girls pacing YEARLY the pave
ments of the city at night,
bidding for dishonor; boys, born
to lead q better life, thieving IN the
streets because their father lost his
money at your table, Mr.. Dealer All,
sir, there is many man that likes to
make money and spend it as well rs
you, but he would not traffic in hearts
and lives and honors even could he
thereby acquire all the riches of the
world and live in the very midst Of
gold. When man pulls out ro ii OF
bills and hands it to you TO be changed
into chips you know not but the happi-
ness of his entire family is wrapped up
in that greasy bundle. l declare j
would rather never have lived than
have registered against me The quantity
of curses that have been heaped upon
your head, you cruel, remorseless as
sassin! When | see you in the street,
sleek and we'll dressed, driving a
splendid turnout, l hate you, and were
is not for the laws of the land and Of
conscience would put a bullet through
you without delay. I hear the groans
of breaking hearts in the roll of your
wheels: see the death warrant Of a
thousand honors written in every wrin-
kle of your abominable, smiling coun-
tenance, confound you! Why are you at
large? We chain up tigers and lions.
Is there, can there be a more ferocious,
bloodthirsty beast than You are?"
While he spoke everybody in the
room kept perfectly quiet. You might
have heard pin drop. The fearless
speaker was not again given the hint to
leave. The dealer did not utter one
word in reply. He finished the deal
and rose from his chair, which was at
os..... ....l.., Mad Nv mn Of laia assistants